Risk Management

Based on my background as an engineer in the offshore oil and wind business I have developed a lecture with focus on risk management.

This lecture is well suited for companies that seek to develop their employees understanding of risk.

 I will decribe how the risks of high altitude climbing are mitigated and make comparisons to the risk picture associated with industrial activities.

I will also show the actual risk level of modern mountaineering, which might deviate from the picture the media is trying to make. Some climbers are risktakers, but they are not suicidal!

Even when people do an effort to reduce risk, shit does happen. Here we are rescuing a group of climbers caught in an avalanche. The residual risk level accepted by climbers is off course higher than what we allow in the industry. So that is one main difference, but there might be more similarities than you think.

To that end I think competence and clearly defined responsibilities are crucial. Many companies have made an effort, and have obtained success working on people’s attitude towards safety, however the development of the employees ability to indentify the risk picture must not be forgotten. 

After waiting for weather for several weeks, finally we get going on Everest